1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to medical devices for facilitating diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures. In particular, the disclosure relates to a guidewire for assisting in placement of an intravascular device within the neurovasculature.
2. Description of Related Art
Guidewires are commonly used in medical procedures to assist in the advance and proper positioning of a catheter or other medical device in lumens, vessels, or other cavities of the body. Neurovascular procedures utilizing guidewires include the imaging and treatment of aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), and ischemic stroke. The effectiveness of an intravascular guidewire in advancing through tortuous neurovasculature without undesired deformation or kinking is dependent upon a number of factors and design considerations. These factors include, inter-alia, the material(s) of fabrication of the guidewire, guidewire dimensions and intended use. Generally, a balance must be achieved to provide the required torsional, lateral, tensile and/or column strengths to enable easy and precise manipulation and steerability in the tortuous vasculature. Guidewires for neurovascular intravascular procedures face additional challenges due to the relatively small diameter required to navigate through the narrow and remote locations of the neurovasculature. As a result, the movements of the guidewire induced by a clinician may not always result in the positioning of the guidewire at a desired orientation relative to the vascular tissue.